Sand protected by-pass seal



Aug- 29, 1933. J. A. WINTROATH 1,924,203

Filed Dec. 13, 1929 2 sheets-sheet V1 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 J. A. WINTROATH SAND PROTECTED BY-PAss SEAL Filed Dec. 13, 1929 Aug. 29, 1933.

Patented yAug.` 29, `1933 z Asizzix. l

John A. Wintroath,r Los ngeles, Calif.,y assignor i agCorporatonof California to Wintroath Pumps,v Ltd., Alhambra, CalilgrfHV Application December 13, 1929 Serial( No. 413,758v

This invention relates to rotary] deep well pumps and relates particularly to that type `of deep well pump' in which a by``pass isemployed for the purpose of relieving the shaft 'tubing of,

. ,5. such pumps from pressurezwhich wouldtend to force water and its entrained sand into the lower Yend of the shaft tubing." Y

In rotary deep wellpumpsit is customary to.

employ a continuous shaft tubing for protecting 0. the pump or impeller shaft from' water andsand and for holding shaft bearings which guide the shaft throughout its extension from `the pump bowl assembly to the power source'situated at the top of the pump discharge head. i n In ythe originalform of shaft tubing construction the shaft is entirely enclosed from a point adjacent `to the upper 'face of the'uppermost pump impeller to the top ',wall of the discharge a pump is operated, a pressure existsin the space surrounding the 'uppermost impellerfthis pressure being greater than a column of water'having a height equal to` the distance the water must around the uppermost'impeller of the pump is exerted on the lower endofthe` shaftltubing through the space existing between the shaft and the bearing structure placed adjacent to the upper face of the uppermost impeller. There-` fore, in order to prevent an upward flow of water and sand within the vshaft tubing, 'this' tubingwas sometimeslled with oil and apacking device was placed between the upper vend of the shaft tubing and the shaft yportion extending therethrough to prevent this oil being forced outv through'theupper end ofthe shaft tubing by the water pressure exerted at` the lower endY of the shaft Vtubing due to the pressure head exerted thereat whenthe pump `is in operation.

This previous form of construction has been replaced by a new construction in which a by-pass opening is extended from communication with Y the shaft at a point near the 'lower endof the shaft tubing to the exteriorof the pumpandua sealing device is placed around the shaft between the uppermost impeller andthe by-passuto maintain at a minimum the flow of water from'the pump passages, through the sealing means, and out through the `by-pass into the welL By the adoption of this by-pass construction the interior of theshaft tubing is relieved from pump pressure, lubrication of ,thebearings within the shaft tubing by the drip feed method is made possible,

5 and the, interior of the 'shaft tubing is kept free from the entry of water and sand, du@ tothe casing or outlet tting of the pump. When such be raised by the pump. This pressure existing p presence of a `bodyof oil in the lowerend of fthe shaft tubing, this' body of 4oil-having a staticv head equivalent to `the static head in the water ofy the well outside the pump.

The sealing means employed around the `shaft 69 in a position between the uppermost impeller' of the pump andthe by-pass` operates yvery satisfactorily over an-,extended period of time wherel the water being pumped from the welll carries no sand or a very small amount of sand; butwhere the sand content of ithewateris quite large, such anA amount of sand is carriedlinto and through the by`pass sealing means asto` produceI avery rapid ,wear therein, withy the result that` the-sealing means becomes ineflicient in that A'it allows `70 a Alarge escape of'water from the pumppassages through the by-pass and into the well space sur" rounding the pump. This loss of water materially reduces thefefficiency ofthe pump, especially when the pump-isof small capacity.

l vIt is an object of this invention to provide in `a pump having ahy-pass, `a means for preventing yentry of water from the pump passages into the sealing meansemployedfor controllingthe flowI n ofwater'out through` the1bypa'ss into the well.. 80 By preventing entry` of water intojthe' sealing meansfrom the passages of the pump, theA entry ofusandor other abrasive substances intothe sealing means is.V 'likewise prevented; and therefore thesealingme'ans ismai'ntained in operation 85 'runder conditionswhich are conducive to lmini- `mum wear between the cooperating parts there'- of, with the result that byuse of my'invention in a pump employed'jto pump sandywater, as long y and as ecientoperation may beV had as where y the ordinary byfpass seal iS-employed in Aa pump used to lift clean vwater .which -is entirelyfree from sand.v j .Y A further object of the invention is `toprovide V.in a pumpof thischaracterY a by-pass sealvfor limiting or throttling'the now of by'pass water,

and means for introducing-'a continuous fflow vof clean flui'dfsuch'a's clear water, at thefentrance of such by-pass Vseal so that the flow'of fluid Ythrough y'the' yby-pass'sealwill consist of such 100W cleanl liquid and Will displace andprievent -from entry intol thel by-pass yseal lany'liq'uid from the passagesfof the pump, which liquid ordinarily carries sand or other abrasive substances.'

` It is a further vobjectof the inventionA to provide in a pump of this character an entrance chamber at'the entrance end of the by-pass seal,I to feed clean water to such entrance chamber, and toprovide a means for-causing a smallj'ow of such clean water from the entrance chamber into the pump passages, thus insuringagainst any entrance of water and sand from the pump passages intothe entrance chamber.

A further object of the invention is to provide in a pump of the above character a pumping. device which is preferably in theform of-a small pump impeller, 'for producing a pressure, in opposition to the pressure in the pump passages,

l sufficient to produce a desired flow of clean water from the entrancejof the sealing lneans toward and into the passages of the pump. A further object of the invention is to provide a simple and efficient construction of cooperating parts whereby the'hereinbefore mentionedobjects of the invention are attained.

Further objects'and additional advantages of v the invention will be pointed out in the followingv view'showing a rotary deep wellgpump withv which the use of my invention is especially valuable.

Fig. 2 isf-an enlarged vertical Y.cross section vthrough that portion. of the pump of Fig. 1 in which my inventionis incorporated.

Fig. 31s. a horizontal cross sectional View, to reducedrscale, takenasindicatedby the line .-Fig. 4 is afragmentary section on a plane represented by the'line14-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a cross section, to `reduced scale, on aplanerepresented by the line 5-5 of. Fig.: 2.

`For, thepurpose of illustrating the utility -of a single embodiment of my 'invention- I have in Fig. 1 shown a deep well .centrifugal turbine pump 10 supported in a-well casing 11 and consisting of a pumpY bowl assembly or pump proper 12, a discharge column` 13, and anoutlet member or discharge-head14on which a motor 15 for operating the -fpump is secured. In this type of pump a shaft tubing 16 extends Vfrom the discharge head 14 down through. the interior of the discharge column 13 and, as shownin Fig. 2, threads onto a bearing sleeve 18 which is screwed at 19 into theupper end of the central body portion 20 of a by-pass andvrnain bearing casting 21 withy which the lower end of the discharge column 13 makesthreaded engagement, as indicated at 22. pass casting 21.a top or uppermost bowl casting 23 is secured by suitable means, such v`as` represented by bolts 24; As indicated-in Fig. 1, other bowls 25, similar tothe bowl 23 illustrated in detail in Fig, 2, are successively secured together Y to form thepump bowl assembly or pump proper 12, the number of bowls employed inthe p ump bowl assembly 12v being proportionedin accord- (il).

. varies or webs 30, van impeller-chamber 31, and

water-passages 32 through which water is directed under pressure by an impeller 33 which is supported and rotated .within the yimpeller chamber 31 by a shaft 34. The upper ends 35 of the water passages 32 lead into water passages To theflower end-0f ,the byf tral body portion or boss 38 ofthe by-pass casting 21. When the impeller 33 is rotated at operating speed, it takes in water, as indicated by the arrows 40, and by its centrifugal actiondis- Y36 formed between an outer wall 37 and a cencharges such water, as indicated by arrows v41,

- into the lower endsof the waterpassages 32 at a pressure higher than the pressure at which' the water has entered the lower opening or inletl v vy of the impeller. j y When a number of bowls or pump stages are f employed, Vas `indicated by the Yassembly 12 in VVFig.` 1, water from theY well is drawn into the pump through thestrainer 26, and as it is carfried upwardly, through the successive stages its pressure is increased each time it passes through a bowlfso that when the water reaches andiis 1 discharged by the impeller 33, Fig. 2, into the passages32 of the uppermostr pump bowl 23 it will be under sufficient pressure to overcome the' static head or vthe height to/Which.v it must be pumped and the frictional head ofithe discharge column 13 throughA which Vit passes from .ther

pump proper tothe discharge flttingrl4.-

, Therefore, it will be seen that as water is to be discharged from the discharge head 14 the:

pressure existing within the .passages 32 of the static pressure exerted by a column of water having a height equalto the length of the discharge `uppermost bowl 23must1begreater than the water from the pump. Theshaft 34fextends through the sleeve 18 and through av sleeve-,43y

which is held partlyA in a bore 44 of` theV body 38 provided by the by-pass casting 21 and partly bya counterbore 45 in the upper end of the central body 29,` this bearing sleeve 43 fitting. tightly into the bore 44 andthe counterbore 45v so Yas to prevent leakage of water under pressure from the upper ends 35 of the waterv'passages 32 into the space surrounding the shaft 34. .The sleeve 43 connects the body` 29 with the body. 38 in such a manner as to provideV a continuous wall structure surrounding the shaft from a point adjacent to theV impeller 33 to a circular by-pass chamber 46 which has radial by-pass passages 47 'extending outwardly therefrom. n During the operation of the pump, there is a vsmall flow of water lout through the by-pass passages 47 into the interior of the `well owing to the pressure onthe exterior ofthe pump being considerablylessthan the pressure on the interior of the pump. v 7

Above the impeller 33 the body 29 is counterbored, as indicated at 48, to receive a set of sealing rings 49 which are of such Vinternaldiameter as to t closely about the shaft but are smaller in external diameter than the counterbore 48, with the result that the `axial position of each of the rings of the setY 49 .is controlled by itsv engagement with the exterior. of the shaft34 and not by the engagement `with the cylindrical wall iro of the counter-bore 48. To prevent rotation of the set of rings 49, pins 50 are extended through holes 51 in the rings, whichholesV 51 are larger than the pins, thus permitting a degree of lateral movemeritV of the rings relative to the pins.v VAn externally threadedl ring nut 521s employed to hold the set of sealing rings 49 inf the upper portion A small auxiliary impeller 5.5 is secured Vto the upperfface of the impeller`33byl means such'as portion of the entrance chamber 53, `anfd such impeller l Yhaving passages `58*so formed that a discharge pressure'will bev exerted radially out-` wardly in the direction indicated by the arrows 60.

Through one of the webs 30 which has been enlarged, as indicated atl 61v inv Figs. 3 and 4, a hole162 `is drilled from the exterior of the bowl 23 to communicationA with the entrance chamber 53, and fromthesurface offthe ground'piping 63 extends down the exterior of the pump structure and connects at64 (with the outer end of the passage 62, makingit'possibleV to feed clean' fluid; such as'water, 'into4 the entranceV chamber 53. Owing to the fact that the point at which water is fed into the piping 63 is at substantiallythe y same *level as 'the upper-"end of the discharge column 13 of the pump, `thestatic pressure of the'. clean Water where it enters the entrance chamber i g 53 is nearly as great as the pressure existing with-- f in the .pump passages-` 32 ,when `the pump"` is in.4v

operation. To overcome the excess pressure exl and to cause. a smallv flow of clean fluid down- Wardly and outwardly from the chamberl 53y u through the'space 65, thev static pressure of `the,

clean water entering vthe chamber 53 through the passages 62 is reinforced'or added' to by the irnpeller 55 which exerts' an outward force in its passages 58, as indicated by 'the arrows' 60.

sure head within the chamber 53; due Vto the height or length ofthe piping 63 andthe pressure incurredor exerted bythe centrifugal action of theimpeller 55,and owing tothe fact that this pressure in the outer ends of the passages 58 is slightly greater 'than the pressurein the pump passages 32, there will be a continuous outflow of clean Water from the entrancegchamber 53k throughthe impeller 55,Y and vinto the space 65' which communicates with the passages32.

To holdthe leakage in reversejdirection from the 'space `65and aroundthe upper portion of the imp e11er55 into thechamber 53,a sealing ring 66'is placed in 'an annularv recess 67, this sealing ring'66 .ttingclosely the exterior-of the barrel or'throat 57 ofithe impeller 55, being held from; Arotationbypins 68and beingheld in the recess 67 by an annular plate 69Y which is-secured in place by screwslZO. `Owing `to the fact that there is a continuous dischargeof clean Water into the space 65, such Water as may leak back around the exterior of the impeller'r and through the seal# Y ingrr means 66 into the chamber V53 will be free from sand `and abrasive substances. The pressure of the waterwithin the entrance -chamber`53 being greater than 'the-static pressure exerted on the by-pass'lpassages `57 by thewater in the well results in a small flowof clean Water from the entrance chamber 53 upwardly around"` the exterior of the shaft 34through the sealingA meansrepresented` by the set o f rings 49, through the bore'72 of thegbody29` and Vthe ,boreof the sleeve 43,7and intov the lannular chamberand ra- Ldial passages 47 forming ypart ofthe by-pass structure.` Thisl by-pass flow is desirable as it serves to lubricate the bearingform'ed. by the sleeve 43 and yalso operates to keep such bearingVV cool. "'vr Y By use ofthe structure previously described,

plished: ASand or abrasives are` prevented from entering the space between the sealing means for the byfpass and theshaft, therebyreducing wear t on the sealing means, the'sh'aftuand'the bearings toa minimum and thusassuring amaximum that all flow of liquid outward throughv the byv pass structure will be confined tofthis clean liquid. The running alignment ofthe rotary Vparts including the shaft'and impellers attached there# to is maintained for a maximumperiod oftime lby keeping the main-pump cessive wear;

I have herein shown my inventionfin` simple Y and 'practical form, but itis recognized that certain parts `or elements thereof Marerepresentat-ive of other parts, elements, org-'mechanisms which may be employed'insubstantially thesame 'man-i nerto accomplish .substantially .the samev yresults ,i therefore, `it is t beunderstoodthat theinven- A tion shall `not be limitedl .to the details disclosed isting in thepassages 32 and'also in lthe space/ `the following valuableresults, have beenv accombearing free from Igx-v' herein'v but shall have I the scope set yforth in the A' following claims.

I claimfasl'my'inventionrY l a. f g 1. AV pump 'of thecharaCter'deSQribed, includ-` ing an impeller shaft;A arrimpeller secured .to andl rotated'V by said shaftav casingl structure 'sur `"rounding said shaftandsaid impeller, vsaidczaising 1 The outward pressure in'the outer ends of the passages` A58 of the impeller 55 isthe sum of the static pres- '110- V cation at its inner end with said bore of saidin-` 4nerxwall above said impeller and having communication at theouterendwith the exterior of said," 1 1 5 said inn'er wall forming an `entrance chamber V leading into said bore; impeller-means on the Vupperend of, saidzimpeller forproducing a fiowof casing, there beinga recess at the lower end of liquidfrom' 'said- Yentrance chamber towardy said pump passages; 4and-sealing means operative to i,

preventa reverse flow of liquid fromsaidpurnp l passagesfand around said impeller-'means into :said entrancefcharnber. i

2.A A pump fof the ycharacterdescribed,-includf- .ing'z an impeller shaft; an impeller secureditoiand rotated by' said shaft; alcavsing 4structure *surrounding saidshaft and said impeller, said casingstructure'cornprising anv innerwall having a lbore receiving said shaftabove Ysaid impeller, an

outer wall formlngjpump 'passages exterior of` said u munication at its inner endfwith saidbore of said' inner wall above said impeller and having v4communication' at its outer,end witlfiftheexteri' yor of said casing, there being arecess'at the lower u end ofsaidinner wall 'forming an entrance cham- Aber leading into said bre; `means for delivering 1f l aj-uid from an external positiontosaidentrance chamber; sealingirieans operativearound",l said' Yslfiaftto restrict'` theow' of liquidthrough said Y u Y bore; impellermeansonthe upper endfof "said impeller for producingga owof liquid from said' `entrance chamber toward,` saidu pump passages ;v 4andzsealing means operativeto prevent `a reverse ',iiowpff-'liquid 'from said pump"v passages andY means intoIV said entrance around Vsaid impeller 

